Dolly Parton masterfully wove the tales of her simple, rural background with the familiar twists of love and loss into heartfelt songs with universal appeal. Along with her distinctive twang and a lifelong obsession with tacky couture, Parton also possessed Hollywood's most talked about pair of breasts, which she flaunted in an endless parade of almost sewn-on, rhinestone-studded minis. Stage shticks aside, Parton made history with her music. She wrote and performed such memorable hits as "Jolene" (1973), "9 to 5" (1980), and "I Will Always Love You" (1974). Parton's musical tastes evolved from pure country to pop to bluegrass, and with each incarnation, she was rewarded with multiple accolades from Grammys all the way to being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Parton also lit up the big screen in "Nine to Five" (1980) as a secretary who used her substantial curves to humorous effect, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982) as a charming brothel owner, and "Steel Magnolias" (1989) in which she portrayed a vivacious Southern beautician. After years of successful recordings, including the release of the award-winning albums The Grass is Blue (1999) and Little Sparrow (2001)Parton...

Dolly Parton masterfully wove the tales of her simple, rural background with the familiar twists of love and loss into heartfelt songs with universal appeal. Along with her distinctive twang and a lifelong obsession with tacky couture, Parton also possessed Hollywood's most talked about pair of breasts, which she flaunted in an endless parade of almost sewn-on, rhinestone-studded minis. Stage shticks aside, Parton made history with her music. She wrote and performed such memorable hits as "Jolene" (1973), "9 to 5" (1980), and "I Will Always Love You" (1974). Parton's musical tastes evolved from pure country to pop to bluegrass, and with each incarnation, she was rewarded with multiple accolades from Grammys all the way to being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Parton also lit up the big screen in "Nine to Five" (1980) as a secretary who used her substantial curves to humorous effect, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982) as a charming brothel owner, and "Steel Magnolias" (1989) in which she portrayed a vivacious Southern beautician. After years of successful recordings, including the release of the award-winning albums The Grass is Blue (1999) and Little Sparrow (2001)Parton returned to the big screen in 2011 by starring in the musical comedy "Joyful Noise," in a role that introduced her music to a new generation of fans, and proved once again her enduring legacy as a genius composer and performer.

Featured on the radio broadcast "The Cass Walker Program" in Knoxville at the age of nine

1958:

Made debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN

1960:

Made TV debut on the syndicated "The Porter Wagoner Show"

1964:

Moved to Nashville after graduating from high school

1965:

Signed with Monument Records and released first single "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby"

1967:

Recorded debut album <i>Hello, I'm Dolly</i>

1967:

Joined the weekly country music program "The Porter Wagoner Show" (Syndicated); performed with Wagoner on tour and released several singles together

:

Co-founded Sandollar Productions with manager Sandy Gallin

1974:

Recorded the single "I Will Always Love You" (written about her professional break with Wagoner)

1976:

Hosted first syndicated variety show "Dolly"

1977:

Went mainstream with pop-rock band Gypsy Fever

1977:

Had commercial success as a pop singer with the album <i>Here You Come Again</i>

1978:

Performed with Cher on the ABC special "Cher...Special"; nominated for an Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Variety or Musical Special

1980:

Co-starred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in her feature film debut "Nine to Five"; also wrote and sang the theme song, which became a hit and earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Song; also earned a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination

1982:

Played a brothel owner opposite Burt Reynolds in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"

1983:

Headlined first solo TV special "Dolly in Concert" (HBO)

1984:

Wrote first film score for "Rhinestone"; also co-starred with Sylvester Stallone

1984:

Teamed with Kenny Rogers for the holiday special "Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember" (CBS)

1986:

Made TV-movie debut in "A Smoky Mountain Christmas" (ABC); also provided story and wrote songs

1986:

Founded Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN

1987:

Starred on the short-lived ABC variety series "Dolly"

1987:

Collaborated with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for the successful album <i>Trio</i>

Starred in the NBC TV-movie "Wild Texas Wind"; also produced and wrote the music

1992:

Whitney Houston released a highly successful cover version of "I Will Always Love You" as the theme song for the film "The Bodyguard"

1992:

Played radio-program host opposite James Woods in "Straight Talk"; also provided songs

1993:

Recorded "The Day I Fall In Love" as a duet with James Ingram for the film "Beethoven's 2nd"; the song was nominated for an Oscar and she performed it with Ingram on the awards telecast

1994:

Collaborated with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette to record the album <i>Honky Tonk Angels</i>

1995:

Played herself in the TV-movies "Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story" (CBS) and "Naomi & Wynnona: Love Can Build a Bridge" (NBC)

1996:

Executive produced and starred in the CBS TV-movie "Unlikely Angel"

1999:

Recorded first bluegrass album <i>The Grass Is Blue</i>

2002:

Released third bluegrass album <i>Halos & Horns</i>, which included a version of the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway to Heaven"

2004:

Earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Collaboration with Norah Jones

2005:

Earned second Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Travelin' Thru" from the film "Transamerica"; also garnered Golden Globe and Grammy nominations

2006:

Appeared as 'Aunt Dolly' on the Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana"; was the real-life godmother of Hannah's Miley Cyrus

2009:

Wrote the musical score for "9 to 5: The Musical," an adaptation of her feature film; earned Tony and Grammy Award nominations

2011:

Voiced the character Dolly Gnome on the animated feature "Gnomeo & Juliet"

2012:

Co-starred with Queen Latifah as choir singers in the musical comedy "Joyful Noise"

2012:

Published the book <i>Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You </i>

2015:

Narrated "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors," a TV movie based on her life

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Notes

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2001.

"Dolly Parton has alway been a walking, talking, singing mass of contradictions, and that has long been a part of her immense appeal. For nearly 30 years now she has been the woman with the razor-sharp mind and the little-girl voice, the multimillion-dollar businesswoman in a Rhinestone Barbie body, a country-western queen beloved of the jaded urban priviligentsia, so hiply unhip, so chicly unchic, cloaking an innate elegance in a clash of glitter and trash.

"The jacket, the camisole, the tight blue jeans, the sheer black stockings, the spike-heeled black boots, the blond wig, the heart-shaped diamond ring: At 46, Dolly Parton is a kind of righteous Zen paradox, so artificial as to be completely real, finding her truth and her own honest innocence in a crafty excess of paint and powder." --Lynn Darling in New York Newsday, April 9, 1992.

"Left to my own, I'd rather look like trash. I love tacky clothes. My look came from a very serious honest place, and that was a country girl's idea of what glamor was." --Dolly Parton to New York Newsday, April 9, 1992.

"My music is what took me everywhere I've been and everywhere I will go. It's my greatest love. I can't abandon it. I'll always keep making records, even if I have to sell them through the mail or the Internet." --Parton to USA Today, August 25, 1998.

"Well, I was this child that had a dream . . . I felt like not much attention was paid to me. So I found my attention. I actually found a friend in my guitar. I had a very active mind. I had an outgoing personality. I needed to be noticed. People said we'll take you down to the radio station. I was the kind of kid that the more attention I got, the more I needed, and I felt like I had a gift, and the more people told me I was good, the more I believed them." --Dolly Parton to The Observer, September 6, 1998.

"I'm not offended at all, because I know I'm not a dumb blonde. I also know I'm not blonde."---Parton Peope July 06, 1992

Robert Lee Parton. Tobacco farmer. Born c. 1921; died on November 12, 2000 at age 79 from complications from a stroke.

mother:

Avie Lee Parton. Married at age 15.

brother:

Larry Parton. Died in infancy.

sister:

Stella Parton. Singer, actor. Born on May 4, 1949; had country hits like "Ode to Olivia" and "I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight".

sister:

Rachel Parton. Singer, actor. Played the Doralee part her famous sibling had played in the movie version on the TV sitcom "9 to 5" (ABC, 1982-1983; syndicated, 1986-1988); performs at Dollywood.

brother:

Randy Parton. Singer, bass player. Backed her on bass before landing an RCA contract himself; performs at Dollywood; appeared as a band member in "Rhinestone" (1984).

brother:

Floyd Parton. Performer, songwriter. Younger; has twin sister Frieda; appeared as a band member in "Rhinestone"; wrote "Rockin' Years", a duet Dolly sang with Ricky Van Shelton, which became a smash single from her "Eagle When She Flies" (1991) album.